We left the hide and started the last drive of our full day in Kruger. Our first sighting was this Bateleur in flight.

We stopped on a little causeway with water on one side and detected this Pied Kingfisher staring at the water.

This was what he was looking at. I thought that some of the fish was a bit big for him to take on. This was the first time ever that I tried my hand at photographing fish as well.

We also saw some terrapins and a lonely water monitor.

We also saw another rhino during the drive.

The next sighting is a sighting that you just must stop at for a photo session. The little ellie was learning from mum how to eat his staple food instead of only drinking milk.

The next sighting was also another lifer for us. This time around it was a White-fronted Bee-eater.

We also wanted to share Croc river with the ‘mites and Hilda took a few scenery pictures for you to enjoy.

When we reached the H4-2 tar road, we decided to go to the Gezantfombi Dam before we call it a day. As we approached the turn off, we saw a lot of cars on the bridge and decided to have a look. It was a lion pride that laid scattered on the sandbank at the viewpoint side of the dam.

We decided to go to the viewpoint and wait for a chance to take some photos. We waited for half an hour but nobody moved an inch. There were two vehicles parked parallel to the sighting behind each other with about 20 meters space to the viewpoint’s edge and the guy in front waved me forward to get a view of the lions. This meant that I had to obscure the first vehicles view.

It is so funny how people can react when you invade their space. As I crawled forward for Hilda to be able to take a quick picture the lady in the SUV started jumping up and down and told me that she is sitting there for the past two hours and how dare we interfere with her view .

I was just smiling and told the lady it will not take two minutes to capture the sighting and then we will be on our way.

Here is what the lady was looking at for two hours .

Hilda also had time to take a picture of a huge croc and a tree squirrel that was watching all the cars around him.

We returned to camp and whilst we were sitting with a cool something in hand and discussed the day’s sightings, two resident Wartie lawnmowers were busy cutting the grass in front of our bungalow. Here they are:

Our last sighting of the day was this Brown-hooded Kingfisher that visited us.

We went to bed with the knowledge that we have to leave Kruger tomorrow till the next time that we will enjoy some special sightings again.

This is the day that we have to leave the Park. It was a struggle as always to get up and pack for the final time to leave the Park .

It is strange how an experience in the past always plays back in your mind on the last day that you will never forget.

This happened during our September visit in 2005 when the Nhlanganswani Dam still existed on the S28. We would always have a cup of coffee and rusks whilst admiring the beauty of a bush morning with hippos grunting and birds chirping. While we were sitting there with our own thoughts a couple in a white Mercedies Benz car stopped next to us. This was already 10:00 in the morning .

They told us that they were in the Park for 3 (three) months and this was their last morning in the park and on their way home in Plettenbergbay (approximately 2 000km from Kruger) and should have left at 06:00 already, but they just could not leave the Park .

Don’t we all encounter the urge to stay for just another hour or two?

We had to cut our normal time of staying in the Park on the last day by 3 (three) hours because we are on our way to meet one of the forums esteemed birders, Johan van Rensburg, in Middelburg on our way home .

This was a really Ebb day as well.

The only sightings were the following:

A Pied Kingfisher staring at the water in the hope of catching breakfast.

A leopard tortoise who thinks he is one of the big 5.

And last but not least, one of the big 5 made an effort to come and greet us before we end yet another amazing visit to Kruger.

We also had a wonderful meet with Johan and experienced somebody who has a real passion for birds.

Thanks for a most enjoyable meet Johan .

We also want to thank the following ‘mites for joining us on this trip and made the writing of the trip worthwhile .